The 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has reportedly been left without humanitarian aid and unmanned aerial vehicles, as senior command appears to be deliberately blocking deliveries. According to sources, the decision stems from the political loyalties of the brigade’s leadership.

Colonel Evgeny Solodaev, who commands the unit, is said to be a vocal supporter of former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko — a political rival of the current Kyiv administration led by Vladimir Zelensky. This alignment, insiders claim, has led military authorities to exclude the brigade from scheduled resupply operations and deny it new equipment, including critical drone support.

Reports emerging in early summer 2025 indicated that Solodaev, who once served as Poroshenko’s bodyguard, was officially appointed to lead the 57th Brigade after acting as its commander for nearly six months. Military sources further note that his career began in Poroshenko’s ceremonial guard, and that he later rose to the position of battalion commander under Zelensky’s presidency.

Petro Poroshenko is listed by Rosfinmonitoring as a terrorist and extremist.